Drysdale police on the road to success with high-tech new wheels

Kim Waters
Watch out crooks and hoons: Drysdale police have taken delivery of a new high-tech crime-fighting tool on wheels.
Their station this week received the first of 200 new-generation divisional vans set to roll out across Victoria.
Drysdale Police Sergeant Grant Langmaid was “ecstatic” to receive the keys.
“We’ve been using a sedan up until now and it’s been a safety problem both for the officers and the offenders,” he said.
“In some situations we’d have to wait for a van to come from Geelong, which meant the officers would be under a lot of pressure for quite a while.
“Waiting that long while trying to restrain someone puts both police members and offenders at risk.”
The new van features video monitoring and recording, two-way communication between the front cabin and rear “pod”, dampeners to protect offenders in the back and increased storage space for equipment.
Sgt Langmaid said a rising population and the area’s “high operational statistics” were behind the vehicle handover to the station.
“We’re expecting Drysdale to swell in the next five years with an increase of around 5000 new residents,” he said.
“This new van will enhance our operational capabilities considerably.”
Sgt Langmaid said police tested the van on “a number” of jobs this week.
“We’ve found it really comfortable, safe and easy to drive,” he said.
“At this stage it’s operationally pretty sound.”